Romancing The Grump was an adorable romance novel set in the land of ice hockey. Whilst ice hockey seems to be the most popular choice of sport themed romance novels, I throughly enjoyed Proctor’s take.
This novel is not spicy and it is a classic grumpy sunshine love story. I love Summer and Nathan as characters. Both were relatable, interesting and felt realistic. I definitely will be looking into more of Proctor’s work.

✨Book Summary✨

Nathan Sanders is a hockey player, actually a defender, in a small team
called the Appies.

Everything in his life is quite simple, until the moment Summer Callahan, the new legal counsellor of the team, starts working at the Summit.

And not only that but because of the team’s social media success there is a new trend going viral under the hashtag Tame the brute.

The only way for Nathan to get some privacy and set some boundaries to his female fans is to have a fake relationship.

But what happens when the lines are getting blurry between what’s real and what’s fake?

Romancing the Grump is the fourth book in the Appies Hockey Romance series. I didn’t know that when I requested this book but now I am hooked! I loved it! So I will definitely read the rest of the series.

I did some research and the books can be read as standalones so I think we are good to go.

I loved Romancing the Grump!
It was so sweet, a great rom-com in my opinion. And i was surprised to see that there was no spice in it.

Nathan and Summer have a wonderful chemistry, the tension between them was on point and aside from their relationship I loved all the secondary characters as well. There wasn’t unnecessary scenes or the miscommunication trope which I really appreciated.

If you love Elle Kennedy’s Off-Campus Series or if you are looking for a sports romance without spice I think you should definitely check out this book.

I have always loved a good grumpy sunshine romance and this one did not disappoint. I love everything about Nathan and Summer, and their love story.

Nathan is perfectly grumpy and Summer is relentlessly sunny, and they are both so unapologetically themselves. Each of them is so honest and real, and the way they communicate is so good. Nathan's growth and Summer's patience are sweet and encouraging. The scenes when they protect each other are seared into my mind, I adore that the protection is mutual and not one-sided. And their text chains were simply delightful.

The Appies (as always) were phenomenal support characters, I will never get sick of reading about adorable, manly hockey players supporting and loving each other well. And Summer's friends and sisters were just lovely. I can't wait for Lucy, Alec, and Van to each get there own story (hopefully!).

Thanks to Netgalley and Jenny for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

"Romancing the Grump" by Jenny Proctor is an exceptional read that skillfully weaves tension and chemistry between its main characters, Summer and Nathan. Proctor's writing style is captivating, effortlessly drawing readers into the unfolding romance and making us root for the protagonists to come together. The plot is robust and engaging, masterfully utilizing the fake dating and sunshine/grumpy tropes, which are among my favourites. Proctor's nuanced character development and sharp dialogue further enrich the story, making it a truly enjoyable read. Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this delightful book!

Breezy thoroughly enjoyable rom com. Bailey, shy attendant at a adoption facility, has a favorite visitor there, a handsome guy, Eli, who loves dogs but can't adopt because he travels too much. Eli has another problem, his visa is ending and the reapplication process necessitates his returning to Canada for up to a year. Unless he gets married in less than a month. You know where the story is going but it's the getting there is just so much fun with these delightful characters. 4.25 stars

A great hockey romance. I loved the interactions between all the players. The main characters had lots of chemistry and I found myself rooting for them the whole time.

This book was sooooo fricken cute omg I was giggling and smiling and kicking my feet. Was it perfect? No it wasn’t. But was it enjoyable and a very good read? Yes it definitely was!!

I don’t know what else to say apart from the fact that I had a very good time reading this. Nathan was definitely broody and Summer was quite literally a ray of sunshine. They were the perfect grumpy x sunshine and neither of them were annoying!!

There’s no spice in this book and if I’m being honest I didn’t even miss it. In fact I didn’t even realise until I was well into the book. The relationship between Summer and Nathan was slow-burn but also at such a perfect pace. I liked the side characters and the plot line with Nathan’s brother.

The only thing I will say is that the ending felt a little abrupt but other than that I really really liked this one!!

Thank you @NetGalley and JPC Publishing for this ARC of ‘Romancing the Grump’.

I had a suspicion for a while now but after reading this book I am a proud to say I am a BIG fan of the grumpy x sunshine! This book was GREAT yall. I didn't realize it was spice free until mid-read but honestly, I don't know if it would have fit in this one. These characters were awesome. I loved meeting the side characters and trying to figure out who will be pairing off. I am probably going to read the first one because I am a legit series addict. This book made me smile with how determined Summer was to make Nathan smile. I loved learning more about their backgrounds and why they both are the way they are. I loved the little nuggets that Nathan started giving Summer that were like GOLD. Just overall a really easy summer read with some hot kisses and an HEA.

Summer is excited to start her new job. She is a little nervous but isn't letting it show. That is until she has a run in with none other than Nathan Sanders in the parking lot. The same Nathan who gave her all kinds of tingly feelings when they met each other in the fall at a festival. The same Nathan who is now scowling at her and looking like she is an inconvenience. And yay! This is her first day. Moving along with the story, Summer finds herself in a situation where she is asked to be Nathan's fake girlfriend for PR purposes. She doesn't mind because she is finally facing that she has some feelings for him. At least this way she will be able to spend some time with him and maybe work on getting him to smile more. Maybe she will get to know a little bit more about the team grump who she cant stop thinking about. Especially now that he has actually smiled, and they have kissed, and they are pretending RIGHT?! He has made it clear he can't do relationships, but Summer can't help but read into how he acts around her versus what he is saying. Could he be ready? Would he want to try with her because she definitely doesn't want to pretend anymore.

Nathan is happy. He is doing what he loves, and his team is doing better than expected. He has a problem now though. This PR campaign of his brooding pictures has turned a little too risqué for the team. Some of the fans are losing their minds which is when Parker, their PR person, comes up with Summer and Nathan fake dating. This way the fan ladies will cool off. The problem is Nathan doesn't know how to be a real boyfriend let alone a fake one. He just knows what to NOT do, and that is be how he remembers his dad. Which is why he has to keep reminding himself that him and Summer are just friends. Even though that kiss felt real. And waking up next to her felt real. And seeing his name on her does things to him. But definitely they are just friends. But maybe he could try to break the mold that he has kept himself in. IF he could do it for anyone, it would be Summer.

I haven't read anything by Jenny before but will definitely be looking into her other series which is in the same universe as this from what I can tell with some characters that we have met. I liked the lightness of this one. The angst and heat were hot but again no spice. Lots of thoughts about things happening but nothing more than kisses which fits this story. This one made me smile, and I hope it will make you smile too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5/5 ⭐️ This book was such a sweet hockey romcom. Honestly, I wish the Appies were a real team so I could follow them in real life. Summer and Nathan had the perfect blend of slow burn, grumpy sunshine and banter in this book. My only critique would be that I would have loved to read more about the side stories (Summer's ex boss and Nathan's brother). I will definitely be checking out the other couples' books!

Thank you to JPC Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are solely my own

"Romancing the Grump" is the second book in the Appies series, and even though I didn't realize it at first (totally my fault), it's great as a standalone read! 📚

This YA romance follows Summer Callahan, who starts a job as legal counsel for the Appies, a small hockey team. There, she reconnects with Nathan, the guy she's been attracted to but who rejected her months ago. He's grumpy and against relationships. 😠❤️

Normally, I'm not into love at first sight, but this was a super cute, swoon-worthy romance! It's got grumpy x sunshine, fake relationship, friends-to-lovers vibes, with dual POV. Summer is refreshingly straightforward about her feelings, while Nathan's character is complex, dealing with daddy issues and a no-dating rule. Still, their relationship is sweet, with mutual respect and protectiveness. 🌞💖

No spice here, but if you're into feel-good, adorable love stories, this is for you! 😊

I adored this book and the whole Appies crew. They're like a fantastic found family, and their stories are always entertaining. Summer never gave up, even knowing Nathan's personal struggles. And Nathan couldn't resist her charm for long. Their love was so evident, and seeing everyone rooting for them was just adorable! They deserved to be together, and I'm thrilled they found their happily ever after. 💑💕

Oh, be still my beating heart but that was just perfection. Nathan and Summer, your story made me feel all the feels. I didn't want it to end.
Sweet, funny, tug at your heartstrings perfection. Great writing, great cast of characters. Why haven't I read any of Appies books before?!
Romancing The Grump is just perfect. It's got that perfect balance of ingredients. Enough sweetness, enough spice, sprinkles of laughter but also heavier emotional issues. There's a tiny bit of ice hockey too. And I do love hockey. I'm just swooning over here but I just loved that book.
So I'm off to get the other Appies books and if you love sweet romance books, do yourself a favour, and read them too.

I like the base of the romance. I have not read any of her books previously so I may have been missing a bit of a backstory. I thought the fake dating was cute, but it didn’t fully makes sense on why they were fake dating. I just knew that they were. I didn’t fully understand some of Nathan‘s reasoning the way he reacted to certain things just felt off I did enjoy the romance. I thought it was very cute.

ANYTHING FROM THE APPIES SERIES IS AMAZING!!! This book is great and Nathan is a dream! I loved this book so much and loved the connection between Nathan and Summer.

Thank you to NetGalley for this great book

This was the sweetest thing I’ve ever read! I loved the tension between Nathan and Summer but the actual friendship that developed between them was so fun to watch. I was giggling and kicking my feet watching their romance blossom through their “fake” relationship. I usually don’t read closed door romance but the writing was so good and I was so invested in Nathan and Summer that I didn’t even notice the spice wasn’t there. Easily a 5 star read! Will definitely be reading more Jenny Proctor when I need a feel good romance!

This book was a sweet hockey romance with a grumpy hero and very interesting main female character. I loved Summer Callahan, she was such a breath a fresh air, a woman who knew who she liked and despise Nathan's extreme grumpiness she supported and stood beside him the entire book. She isn’t afraid to say whatever she thinks and act according to her feelings, Nathan was the reason for the 4 stars, he was so stubborn and set in this ways, it was a bit frustrating.
In the end, this was one of my better read of this month, I loved the characters, there were a few sweet moments. A grump/sunshine trope with a fake relationship and a sports romance with a feisty and intelligent female character, what's not to love.

Took me awhile to get into, felt very slow paced. But once I got into it I was really into it. I didn’t even miss the spice because the story made up for it.

In Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor, the story follows Summer (FMC) uprooting her life as an attorney at a DA’s office and moving to work in legal for a minor league hockey team, the Appies. Here, she meets (again), Nathan (MMC), the broody defenseman who is solely focused on playing hockey and never letting anyone get too close emotionally. Due to a social media craze for Nathan, Summer agrees to a fake-dating arrangement to help the situation until the craze dies down. Will this fake situation lead to real feelings? What happens when the fake dating starts to feel more real as the days go on?

Overall, I really enjoyed this story! It was a sweet romance filled with emotions, second guessing and angst between the two MCs. I thought doing a dual POV for this story was perfect, that way we were able to see into each MC’s mind and really grasp the terms of their relationship. I thought the side plots were well done and tied in well with the story as well. I would recommend this book to someone looking to read a sweet (no spice), hockey romance!

I posted my review on Goodreads (linked below) on 5/11/2024.

I usually enjoy hockey books and this was no exception. Nathan and Summer made for a really enjoyable book. It was funny, warm and sexy, without the fake drama that you sometimes find in some books. Not only will I recommend this author. I am now off to Amazon to find her other books.

This is the first time I read a book by Jenny Proctor and it makes me want to read more!

All these other couples made me want to read their stories. This won't be the last book I read of Jenny.

This book was a very slow-burning, fake relationship romance. They become really good friends first, which is fun because they were so distant in the beginning. I did like to read Nathan's pov because he fell so fast. How he couldn't talk to her and just blurts out the most random things.

I do love hockey romance, and this one didn't disappoint. Looking forward to reading the next one!

“Romancing the Grump” is a heartwarming tale that captures the essence of opposites attracting. Nathan’s gruff exterior is masterfully unraveled by Summer’s relentless optimism, making for a romance that’s as touching as it is humorous. Their journey is a testament to the power of love to soften the hardest of hearts.

Jenny Proctor’s writing shines in its ability to blend the rough with the tender, creating a story that’s both engaging and endearing. The hockey setting adds a dash of adrenaline to the mix, making this book a standout in the Appies Hockey Romance series. It’s a quick read that leaves a lasting impression, perfect for those who enjoy a sweet, closed-door romance with plenty of heart.